Should You Handle Your Own Personal Injury Case?

An accident is such an inconvenient expense to take care of. Not only may you have to square away damages, but you may also suffer from an injury. The accident may not have even been your fault. You may be tempted to handle your personal injury claim yourself, but there are some things you should consider before you do. Managing your own case can definitely be the cheaper route, but sometimes hiring personal injury attorneys can save you more money in the long-run. Here are some things to consider that will help you decide if you should hire a personal injury attorney or not.

The Severity Of Your Injury

How minor or major your injury is can determine if you need a lawyer. The National Law Review says you can settle your own claim if your injury is minor and you have the extra time to handle the legal and insurance claims. If you endured a major injury that called for you to be hospitalized, undergo surgery, physical therapy, rehabilitation, chiropractic work, cosmetic surgery, orthopedics, or your minor injuries has caused pain that last longer than a few days, it is best you do not try to handle those on your own. In these instances, these claims typically involve past, present and future medical expenses that can get costly over time. The value of those claims can be greatly increased if you have a good lawyer to handle your claims.

Who Caused The Injury

Unless you live in a no-fault state, you could file a claim against someone if you believe your injury was caused by someone else. In order to do this, you need a personal injury attorney to help you prove legal fault. Again, this is if you do not live in a no-fault state, which means you are not allowed to sue unless your injuries rise to a certain level in either nature, cost, or both.

An Insurance Company Reached Out To You

This is a telltale sign that you should look into getting good legal representation. In some personal injury claims, the insurance company can attempt to get you to make statements about your claim that could come back and hurt your claim. They may ask you for a statement, medical records, and to sign a release. According to the Law Review, they may do this to get clearance from you to go through your medical history in an effort to either minimize your payout or completely deny your claim.

The Insurance Company Refuses To Pay

If the insurance company refuses to pay you despite liability not being disputed, or are making extremely low offers despite your injuries, you may need to hire a personal injury lawyer. The insurance company may also take unreasonably long to process your claim. Lawyers are able to see through dirty tactics and bad-faith negotiations. They will be able to make sure that your medical and repair bills are paid on time.

The Insurance Company Is Disputing Liability

If this is happening, you should hire a personal attorney. The National Review says some insurance companies will try to dispute liability even when an accident is clearly the fault of the other person. In an attempt to thwart your claims, they may make you believe that you either do not have a claim that will stick or that your claim is worth way less than you may think it is. All these are tactics used by the insurance company to deter anyone from filing a claim. The personal injury lawyer will be able to get evidence that proves liability.

Now that you know of some things to consider, you should have a better idea of if you need a personal injury lawyer or not. You have the right to have experts in your corner just like the insurance companies. Your personal injury lawyer will be able to send you to the right medical professionals who can help you heal and that can also testify in court if it ever comes to that. Some personal injury law firms have medical personnel on staff that is able to accurately evaluate your claim. They can also equip you with the ability to tell you what kind of personal injury claim you have and act as a buffer between you and the physicians, as they can interpret the medical records. Some firms also have investigative staff that can help you gather evidence for your claim. In most cases the lawyer will not be charged if they are not able to recover money.

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